Top roll for drafting devices on textile machines



Aug. 31, 1965 M. STEIN 3,203,073

TOP ROLL FOR DRAFTING DEVICES ON TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Sept. '7, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet l I -/2 k /0 2a Q l 1"\ /7 l l I t I,

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ATTORNEY Aug. 31, 1965 M. STEIN 3,203,073

TOP ROLL FOR DRAF'IING DEVICES ON TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Sept. 7, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 aw -T/. 58 4|:|.\ 5 .1552. L [m 4//////////ll//////////l///// 55 \7/WCZ 6 s [lib //JA//l///////////////////A\\\ .74

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1 I 79 L 77 e9 72 INVENTOR MARK-EL 5727M ATTORNEY United States Patent3,203,073 TOP ROLL FOR DRAFTING DEVICES ON TEXTILE MACl-IINES MarcelStein, 51 W. 81st St., New York 24, N.Y. Filed Sept. 7, 1962, Ser. No.222,231 9 Claims. (Cl. 29- 113) The invention relates to top rolls fordrafting devices on textile machines. More specifically, it relates totop rolls having a hollow cylindrical body with a hub and a mantle madeof a resilient material, and assembled from parts united with each otherso as to form a single member.

Top rolls of this kind are shown in the art. The air cushion enclosed inthe hollow space increases the elasticity of the roll mantle.

However, hitherto known top rolls have not been constructed so as tohold air under pressure. It is one of the objects of the presentinvention to produce a top roll adapted to be pressurized whereby betterto perform its purpose.

Conventional top rolls may replace the compact cot but still have theold metal core and hub which have not been changed at all. The metal hubmust be supported on its shaft by means of a bearing, or the shaftitself has to be journalled in one or more bearings.

It is the purpose of the invention to eliminate the disadvantages ofhitherto known top rolls, for example, barrel-shaped rolls which havebeen introduced as an improvement over cylindrical top rolls. In knowntop rolls having barrel shapes, a tubular cot has been compressed inaxial direction causing it to bulge. The magnitude of the requiredcompressing force depends on the actual working conditions, like theloading spring force or weight, the yarn quality to be spun, and thelike. Therefore, the compressing force and the deformation of the cothas to be changed and checked individually for each cot of a textilemachine. This is time consuming and may cause numerous errors.

It is another major object of the present invention to provide meanswhereby to pressurize the top rolls, individually or simultaneously. Aswill be fully explained in the specification, this can be performedmanually or automaticaly by means adapted to pressurize all top rolls ofa frame or textile machine. This, in turn, may be done intermittently orcontinuously. 1

By application of the same pressure to all top rolls on a frame, auniform barrel shape is ensured for all the top rolls. No individualchecking and/or altering the roll or cot bulge is needed. If areadjustment should nevertheless be required, this is made simple,inexpensive and not time consuming. By use of the top rolls according tothe present invention, uniformly resilient top rolls are created.

According to one of the features of the invention, all parts of the toproll, including the hub and the resilient mantle, are made of syntheticrubber, plastic or similar material. The constituent parts of the mantlemay be arranged to fit into each other, to telescope into each other, orto be encapsulated at least partly one in the other. The thus connectedparts may be permanently fixed to each other, e.g., by screwing, weldingor glueing (cementing) so as to form a unitary top roll member. The toproll is thus made air tight and capable of being pressurized by asuitable medium (for example, air or gas).

For manual, individual pressurization of the top rolls, a check valvemay be provided through which the hollow space within the roll may befilled with airor the like. The check valve preferably of the ball type,may have a housing attached to the top roll proper, or have its housingformed inside the hub or side wall of the top roll, as will be explainedlater.

It is advantageous to make at least the inner surface of the hub from awear resistant plastic or of synthetic rubber having a low frictioncoeflicient as compared to the shaft material around which the top rollrevolves. The hub material may, for example, be tetrafluoroethylene,whereby the top roll may be used without any extra bearing, ensuringundisturbed and maintenance-free rotation around the fixed shaft,without the use of any lubricant.

The invention also includes the use of plastics or synthetic rubber forthe mantle in which the formation of electrostatic charges is reduced.

With built-in, automatic means for pressurizing the top rolls, thenecessary uniform pressure can be re-established in all connected toprolls simultaneously. This can be done even during the operation of thetextile machine, if the inner pressure should fall below a predeterminedallowable level.

It is another one of the features of the invention that, in a preferredembodiment, the housing of the check valve can be producedsimultaneously with the other top-roll parts, e.g. by molding. The airducts and inlets of the check valves may also be produced in thismanner, eliminating subsequent machining and adjusting steps.

According to another feature of the invention, the means forsimultaneously and automatically pressurizing a plurality of top rollsincludes an axial duct for the pressurizing medium, which preferablycoincides with the axis around which the top roll revolves. The duct isprovided in the stationary shaft which supports the top roll and asecondary duct is preferably arranged radially in both the shaft and thetop roller itself. A circumferential groove may be provided in either ofthese members for assuring continuous air delivery to the internalhollow space through the air ducts.

According to a still further feature of the invention, a. small currentof the pressurizing fluid is allowed to pass between the contiguousbearing surfaces of the top roller and its stationary shaft. Eitherpressurized intermittently or continuously, the current of said fiuidwill blow off any fly or dust which may accumulate at or around thejunction point of the bearing surfaces. The same small current willpositively prevent any such dust from entering the inside of the toproll. The most feared enemy, fly and dust, of textile machines is thuseffectively kept away from the top rolls of this invention.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an optional cot may beused outside the inflatable top-roll mantel. Such a cot will preventexcessive deformation of the mantle when inflated. This, at the sametime, is an economical measure allowing the cots to be replaced fromtime to time by deflation of the top roll, removal of the old cot andthe slipping of a new cot thereover. The life performance of the toprolls is substantially increased by this measure.

Axial motion of the top rolls with respect to their retaining shafts isprevented by button-shaped, annular .or other mating portions providedat the outer ends of the rolls and the respective shafts. The top rollsmay, at any time, be manually separated from the shafts since thefrictional retaining force between the mating portions can be overcomeby axial pull.

Other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of theinvention will be readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whenconsidered with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional illustration of a preferred embodiment of the toproll according to the invention, taken along its shaft axis;

FIG. 1a is a cross-sectional illustration of the top roll, taken alongline 1a--1a of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is an alternative embodiment of the top roll shown in FIG. 1wherein screw threads are used for connecting the parts;

FIG. 3 is a section, similar to FIG. 1, of another embodiment of theinventive top roll having a check-valve housing inside the hub;

FIG. 3a is a cross section, similar to FIG. 1a, taken along line Lia-3aof FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a section of still another top roll, adapted to be pressurizedwithout being removed from its shaft;

FIG. 4a is a cross section taken along line 4a-4a of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a further embodiment of a top roll to be pressurized withoutremoving it from the shaft; and

FIG. 6 is another embodiment of the invention in which the top roll hasa mantle the Wall thickness of which is increased in the middle.

In FIGS. 1 and la, a preferred embodiment of a top roll 10 is shownwhich has an end portion 1 and an axially shouldered portion 2, bothbeing made of synthetic rubber, plastic or similar resilient material,and adapted to be interconnected with one another along contactingsurfaces, e.g. by cementing. Respective outer sleeve portions 1a and 2ahave tubular thin walls, whereas inner walls 1b and 2b are made heavierin due consideration of the stresses they have to endure withoutexcessive deformation.

The inner walls 1b and 2b of the top roll 10 are journaled to rotatearound a stationary shaft 5 supported by conventional means, not shown.Textile drafting de- 'vices are usually fitted with such shafts, havingtwo shoulder portions 511 spaced apart by a substantially central,square-shaped portion 11 mounted in a bracket 12. The top rolls It) areattached to the respective outer ends of shaft 5; throughout thefigures, only one top roll has been shown while the opposite roll (onthe right-hand sides of the illustrations) have been omitted for thesake of clarity.

In the top roll 10, a check valve is provided for the pressurizing fluidto be introduced. The valve has a seat 6, while a ball is shown at 7.The valve, of conventional structure, is made so as to avoid losing theball '7. The respective cylindrical walls 1a, 2a and 1, 2 of top roller10 define therebetween a hollow space 8 capable of being filled with agaseous or liquid medium adapted to be pressurized, as will be explainedhereunder in more detail.

Top roll 10 is prevented from axially moving with respect to shaft 5 bythe provision of respective annular grooves or recesses 17, 18 in shaft5 and in end portion 1, with a snap ring or retainer 17a interposed insaid grooves. It will be understood that other useful means can be usedfor this purpose, as will be explained hereunder in connection with thealternative embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 3a, 4 and 401, as well as 5. Witha view to facilitating insertion of shaft 5 into the top roll 10,portion 1 is preferably provided with an air-release bore 19 at the endopposite the aperture through which the shaft is introduced. Portions 1and 2 have configurations allowing simple and cheap manufacturing bymass-production methods, e.g. injection molding.

For setting top roll 10 to operation, an axially protruding inlet of thecheck valve is temporarily connected with an extraneous source of fluidunder pressure (not shown). The liquid or gaseous medium, e.g. air, isthus introduced under controlled conditions into the space 8 so that theouter portions la, la Will slightly bulge outward and provide aresilient support for the yarn to be processed. With this embodiment,the machine would have to be stopped if the top roll 10 should needre-pressurizing.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative top roller 10 on shaft 5, having an endportion 1 and a shouldered portion 2 with respective sleeve portions Iaand 201' similar to those shown in and described with references toFIGS. 1, 1a. While the interengaging portions of the previous embodimenthave substantially centrally arranged abutting surfaces, FIG. 2 isillustrative of a thread connection wherein portion 1 has an outerthread I and portion 2' has an outer thread 2, both matingly engaged byrespective inner threads of the other portion. In other respects, thisalternative embodiment is identical to and operates the same way as thefirst-described, preferred embodiment.

Instead of the above threading, the top-roll portions can be welded orcemented, with or without additional threaded joints by previoussoftening of the abutting surfaces by a solvent or by means of athermoplastic procedure known in the art. It will be understood that anycombination of the above-mentioned methods and those to be described maybe used.

The next embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 3a, differs from theprevious ones in many respects. A seat 26 of a check valve is formed byend portion 21 which, being made of resilient material, providesair-tight closing with valve ball 27, if under pressure. Air duct 23 andconical air inlet as Well as the housing of the check valve can beproduced simultaneously when molding end and shouldered portions 21 and22 of the top roll 30. They, however, may also be machined, e.g.,drilled. Here the air duct 23 is parallel to the axis of shaft 25.

The space of the check valve is connected with hollow space 28 of thisembodiment by means of a gap 31 provided between the parts 21 and 22.Top roll 3% is pressurized in a manner similar to that of roll 10. Theexternal source of pressurized air or the like is connected to the airinlet 35. It will be understood that both top rolls 10 and 30 may atwill be pressurized off their respective shafts 5, 25 and be appliedthereto subsequently, so that the drafting device will idle for arelatively short period of time.

Provision is made in order to prevent axial motion during rotation ofthe top roll 30 on its shaft 25. A buttonshaped portion 37 is providedat the flat bottom part of portion 21, pointing toward shaft 25. Thelatter, in turn, has a corresponding aperture 38 capable of engaginglyreceiving portion 37. When the hub of top roll 30 is pushed over shaft25, the button-shaped portion 37 snaps into the aperture 33 owing to itsresiliency. It can be removed therefrom only by exerting a certain forcein axial direction. This force, however, is far gerater than the axialforces occurring during normal operation; thus the top roll 30 is safelyheld in position during operation. Slightly off-center portion 21 mayagain be provided with an air-release bore 39 similar to that shown at19 in FIG. 1. This facilitates interengagement and separation of toproll 30 with and from, respectively, shaft 25.

In FIGS. 4 and 4a, a top roll 50 is shown wherein the walls of a housing46 of a check valve are formed by portions 41 and 42. A valve ball isshown at 47. An air duct 43 extends in portion 41 in a radial direction,i.e., its axis is perpendicular to that of shaft 45. A radial duct 44 inshaft 45 is permanently connected with the duct 43 by means of acircumferential groove 49 provided in portion 42. Whatever the positionof duct 43 may be with respect to duct 44, the air or gas connectionwill be maintained. A gap 51 between portions 41 and 42 connects thecheck valve housing with hollow space 48.

A duct 53 coaxial with the shaft 45 connects duct 44 with a secondradial duct 52 machined in the shaft 45. Duct 52, traversing thecentral, square-shaped portion of shaft 45, has a tapered or screwedconnection 54, only schematically shown in FIG. 4, leading to apressurized air supply (not shown) denoted by an arrow A. The hollowspace 48 of the top roll can be uniformly pressurized through connection54. The pressurization may work on both top rolls connected to the sameshaft, as has been explained in connection with top roll It? of FIGS. 1,1a.

The pressurization of the top rolls of one frame can be done byconnecting only one duct 52 with the pressure supply, thus pressurizingonce only one pair of top rolls which may remain in position on theframe. A group of or all the top rolls can, however, be pressurized on aframe simultaneously, depending on how many of the ducts 52 areconnected at any given time to the pressure supply. The top rolls 50,and those of the following embodiments, can be pressurized even whilerotating, that is, no interruption of production is necessary forpressurizing the top rolls. This procedure may be carried outintermittently or continuously; the structures of the top rolls allowboth solutions.

In FIGS. 4 and 4a the shaft 45 is shown with a buttonshaped projection57 and the portion 41 is provided with a corresponding recess 58. At 59,an air-passage bore is provided in portion 41, similar to thosepreviously described.

There is always some play between the shaft 45 and the inner runningsurface of the top roll 50 through which a small current of air willseep from the groove 49 toward a ring surface 55 of portion 42, and fromthe latter, into the ambient through a cylindrical gap 56, when the tapered connection 54 of duct 52 is connected with the pressurized airsupply. This small current of air will blow off any fly or dustaccumulation along its path when intermittent pressurization of the toprolls is applied. The same current will not allow any impurity toaccumulate along its path if the top roll 50 is permanently pressurized.

In FIG. 5, a top roll 70 is represented in which a seat 66 of a checkvalve is formed in the hub portion of toproll portion 62, while a ball67 is held near the seat 66 by means of an abutment 76 attached toportion 62. The resiliency of the abutment 76 allows the insertion ofthe ball 67 into its position under the abutment.

Sometimes it may be necessary to cover the outer mantle of a top roll 70with a thin cot 75 of suitable material, as is shown in FIG. in order toprevent excessive deformation of the mantle when inflated. The cot 75can be pushed over the mantle of portion 61 when the top roll 70 isdeflated. Then, when the roll is pressurized, the friction between thecot 75 and the portion 61 will prevent the former from loosening.

Another means for preventing axial motion of the top roll 70 isillustrated, portion 62 being provided with a tapered ring 77 whileshaft 65 has an annular groove 78. When the top roll 70 comes into itsposition on shaft 65, ring 77 snaps into groove 78 due to the formersresiliency which prevents axial motion during operation.

In this embodiment, numeral 68 denotes the space between top-rollportions 61, 62; the remaining numerals 63, 64, 69, 72, 73, 74 and 79denote top-roll parts already described in the embodiment of FIGS. 4,4a, in connection with respective parts 43, 44, 49, 52, 53, 54 and 59.

In FIG. 6, another embodiment of a top roll 90 is represented. This iscomposed of three portions, i.e. portions 81 and 82 very much similar toportions 1 and 2, respectively, of the first embodiment, as well as anintermediate cylindrical member 95. This structure has the advantagethat the hub and the sides of the top roll 90 are made of a materialhaving a relatively low friction coefficient, while the cylindricalmantle 95 is made of a resilient material of Which the electrostaticchargeability is reduced. It also has a double tapered cross section inorder to reduce excessive deformation when pressurized. This particularshape will prevent any untoward, non-uniform bulging of the top roll 90when set under pressure.

I claim:

1. In a textile apparatus, two interconnected members comprising a fixedshaft and a feed roll journalled on said shaft, said feed rollcomprising a pair of end sections composed of plastic material, each ofsaid sections including a cylindrical hub wall having a bore to receivesaid shaft and a cylindrical outer wall spaced therefrom 6 andintegrally joined to said hub wall by an end wall, the hub walls andouter walls of said sections being joined together to form a closedannular chamber within said roll, one of said Walls having an airpassage therein and carrying a valve means adapted when open to admit afluid under pressure into said chamber and adapted to be closed inresponse to fluid pressure in said chamber, said outer cylindrical wallbeing sufficiently flexible to be bulged outwardly in response to saidfluid pressure, one of said end walls extending across and forming anend closure for the bore of said hub wall and having an air release venttherein to permit said roll to be positioned over the end of said shaft,said hub wall and said shaft having cooperating retaining means adaptedto releasably secure said roll onto said shaft.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said valve meansincludes a seat carried by one of said walls and a valve member movablewith respect to said seat and retaining mean cooperating with the saidseat for holding said valve member in position.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said air passage andvalve means are disposed in one of said end walls.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said air passage andvalve means are disposed in said hub wall and said fixed shaft isprovided with an air passage having a port registering with the airpassage in said hub wall.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said air passage andvalve means are disposed in said hub wall, the inner surface of said hubwall is provided with an annular recess registering with said airpassage and said fixed shaft is provided with an air passage terminatingin a radial port registering with said annular recess.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said retaining meanscomprises an axial projection carried by one of said members andextending within a corresponding recess in the other of said members,said recess having an annular groove and said axial extension having anannular rib seating in said groove.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said retaining meanscomprises annular grooves disposed in said shaft and in said hub Walland a retaining ring disposed in said grooves.

8. In a textile apparatus, a fixed shaft and a feed roll journalled onsaid shaft, said feed roll comprising a hub having a wall with an innerbearing surface journalled on said shaft, an outer cylindrical wallspaced from said hub wall and a pair of end walls joining said hub walland said outer wall to form therewith an annular closed chamber in saidroll, said roll extending at one end beyond the end of said shaft andcarrying an end closure member extending across the end of said shaft toprevent access thereto, said shaft having means securing said rollagainst axial movement on said shaft and having an axial air passageterminating in a radial passage opening to the bearing surface of saidhub at a point between the ends thereof, said bearing surface having aclearance with said shaft such that air under pressure flows from saidshaft opening along the bearing surface and is discharged at the end ofsaid roll for preventing contamination of said bearing surface due todeposition of particles from the surrounding atmosphere, said feed rollhaving an opening communicating between said annular chamber and saidaxial air passage of said shaft.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 in which valve means is providedto permit passage of air from said bearing surface into said chamber,said valve means being adapted to be closed in response to air pressurein said chamber whereby said chamber may be maintained under pressure byair supplied through said last passage.

(References on following page) 8 References Cited by the Examiner2,722,255 11/55 Townsend 291 13 X UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,86 50 12/58Fusaroli 291 13 X 322 $2 2 t 29"113 X FOREIGN PATENTS 12 01 johngson 29113 5 139,518 4/03 m ny- Mercader Great Britain.

6/52 522; WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examzner. 3/55 Schultz 291 13 1OJOSEPH D. BEIN, Examiner.

1. IN A TEXTILE APPARATUS, TWO INTERCONNECTED MEMBERS COMPRISING A FIXEDSHAFT AND A FEED ROLL JOURNALLED ON SAID SHAFT, SAID FEED ROLLCOMPRISING A PAIR OF END SECTIONS COMPOSED OF PLATIC MATERIAL, EACH OFSAID SECTIONS INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL HUB WALL HAVING A BORE TO RECEIVESAID SHAFT AND A CYLINDRICAL OUTER WALL SPACED THEREFROM AND INTEGRALLYJOINED TO SAID HUB WALL BY AN END WALL THE HUB WALLS AND OUTER WALLS OFSAID SECTIONS BEING JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM A CLOSED ANNULAR CHAMBERWITH SAID ROLL, ONE OF SAID WALLS HAVING AN AIR PASSAGE THEREIN ANDCARRYING A VALVE MEANS ADAPTED WHEN OPEN TO ADMIT A FLUID UNDER PRESSUREINTO SAID CHAMBER AND ADAPTED TO BE CLOSED IN RESPONSE TO FLUID PRESSUREIN SAID CHAMBER, SAID OUTER CYLINDRICAL WALL BEING SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLETO BE BULGED OUTWARDLY IN RESPONSE TO SAID FLUID PRESSURE, ONE OF SAIDEND WALLS EXTENDING ACROSS AND FORMING AN END CLOSURE FOR THE BORE OFSAID HUB WALL AND HAVING AN AIR RELEASE VENT THEREIN TO PERMIT SAID ROLLTO BE POSITIONED OVER THE END OF SAID SHAT, SAID HUB WALL AND SAID SHAFTHAVING COOPERATING RETAINING MEANS ADAPTED TO RELEASABLY SECURE SAIDROLL ONTO SAID SHAFT.